View from Rome

The clerical sexual abuse scandal is the most toxic of issues infecting Catholicism, and it has been undermining the credibility of the Church for decades. It is now starting to pierce through Pope Francis’ Teflon-covered papacy, which has won over so many both inside and outside the Church. A report by Associated Press on Monday revealed that the Pope had been given a letter by a victim of Fr Fernando Karadima which detailed both the abuse and the fact it had been witnessed by Juan Barros, who Francis appointed Bishop of Osorno in 2015. This contradicts Francis’ earlier denials that “no one has come forward” or provided any evidence of a cover-up by Barros.